Dementia, overmedicated or withdrawal? - Parkinson's Disease Message Board

Bsan3333 · 09-06-2001, 01:49 AM

First of all thanks Googy and Bruce for your replies to my last post. Your insights are always appreciated. Yes, Googy, I have been giving P.D. dementia some thought lately. It is just so strange. One minute Mom will be doing fine and then all of a sudden she will be going through her obsessive behavior and acting confused. It's like she is unaware of what she is doing. On her last visit to her neuro he took her off of Xanax so now she just takes Sinemet and Comtan. The neuro wants to see which problems are symptoms of P.D. and which were side-effects from the Xanax. Mom has been on Seroquel then Xanax then Clonazepam and then back to Xanax. Mom is very sensitive to these sedating type medications. They really knock her out and make it very difficult to get around. I'm truly confused right now. I really wish I knew if what she is going through is P.D. or medication related. Now that she is off of those meds I guess time will tell. I should probably get some more info on P.D. dementia.

Googy · 09-06-2001, 03:00 PM

I'm glad your Dr.is taking a close look at the meds your Mother has been taking.They all have side effects.Time will tell as you said.Keep in touch.

Googy

Bruce · 09-07-2001, 07:06 PM

I think you got it figured out when you said your mom is very senstive to medications such as Xanax. It is not unccommon for older people to be more senstive to medications, because meds are not eliminated from the body as fast as a younger person. What is a normal dose for a younger person, may be an overdose for an older person. If a drug like xanax causes problems like functioning normally the next day, that is either the wrong med or an overdose.

My internist 11 years ago, told me if didn't sleep well, just keep increasing the dose. That was the worst advice I could have been given.

Bruce

Googy · 09-07-2001, 08:27 PM

Yes Bruce you are so right .I took one dose of Celexa and really had a bad reaction.Never again.I tried to tell the Dr. I didn't want it.You know where it went.

Bill was on so many meds including Xanax.Now just Sinement CR.

Googy

Bsan3333 · 09-12-2001, 02:14 AM

Thanks again for your replies. To follow-up... Mom is doing a little better now that the Xanax is getting out of her system. Still very weak and kind of depressed but she is starting to be more like her old self. I'm pretty sure that we will have to address the depression issue but after what she has been through I'm a little leary of adding another medication.